Trio of black MLAs make history by winning seats in Manitoba Legislature

Until Tuesday's vote, no black person hadever been elected tothe Manitoba Legislature in the 150-year history of this province.

Now there are three.

Uzoma Asagwara won the Union Station seat for the NDP, Jamie Moses took the St. Vital seat for the party and Audrey Gordon won Southdale for the Progressive Conservatives.

None of thepolitical scientists the CBC contacted,nor the parties themselves, could recalla black MLA ever being elected in Manitoba.

The NDP has historically done well in Winnipeg's core, whereAsagwarawon Union Station, becomingthe first queer black person to win a seat.

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"Our elected officials in our Manitoba Legislature should absolutely reflect the constituencies and communities that are in Manitoba," Asagwaratold CBC News as results came in Tuesday night.

"So making sure that our elected officials look like the communities we serve[is] fundamental in making sure that all voices and all communities are served well in Manitoba."

Asagwara, a first-generation Canadian whose parents are Nigerian,has worked as a psychiatric nurse and is a longtime community activist in Winnipeg's core.

The first black Winnipeg city councillor said he was happy for the thousands ofimmigrants and refugees who may feel like they now see themselves represented in the Manitoba Legislature.

"It's an opportunityfor newcomers to see themselves in government," said Markus Chambers, who was elected as city councillor for St. Norbert-Seine River last fall.

Moses, a corporate leader with a degree in agribusiness from the University of Manitoba, reclaimedSt. Vital for the NDP.

"I'm truly humbled and honoured," said Moses, who ousted the incumbentPC cabinet minister Colleen Mayer.

Moses said the addition of more diverse elected representativesis a positive change.

"I'm not sure why it took so long but I'm ecstatic that it's happening now. I think that this is part of a sign that representation is important in the legislature," he said.

In Southdale,Gordon became thethird black MLAelected Tuesday night,in a race that was close until the final votes were tallied. Shewas born in Jamaica and has spent most of her life in Winnipeg.

Tuesday's provincial election saw a more diverse set of candidates than past years, with the PCs and NDP nominating the largest number of Indigenous candidates in recent history and all three of the largest parties nominating Indo-Canadian candidates in twonorthwest Winnipeg ridings.

Among the candidates for the province's 57 seats, the Liberals ran 14 people of colour this year, the NDP18and the Tories six.The Green Party of Manitoba told CBC itdoes not track demographics.

All three major parties also ran Indo-Canadian candidates in the Winnipeg ridings of Burrows and The Maples believed to be another first in Manitoba provincial politics.

WatchUzoma Asagwarareact:

'I'm so grateful'

5 years ago

Duration 1:51

Uzoma Asagwara wins Union Station for the NDP, becoming the first black queer MLA elected in Manitoba history.

The New Democrats ran10 Indigenous candidates, while the PCs and Liberals each nominated seven Indigenous candidates.

All three candidates running in the riding of Keewatinook where more than 90 per cent of the population identifies as First Nations, Mtis or Inuit were members of First Nations.

Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanakkicked off a "get out the vote" drivein late August. The political advocacy group, which represents21 First Nations in Manitoba, encouraged Indigenous people to mark a ballot in both Tuesday's provincial election and the upcoming federal election.

"I want to remind First Nations citizens that we live in a democratic society. I encourage First Nations people to get involved in both elections,"Grand Chief Garrison Settee said in a late-Augustpress release. "Voting is a free opportunity to make a difference."

The NDP ran 24 female candidates in the province's 57 ridings, the Tories22 and the Liberals19.

The Tories also ran their first openly gay candidatein this year's election. At least seven candidates for each of theLiberalsand NDP alsoidentifiedas LGBT.

In south Winnipeg'sFort Richmond riding, Liberal candidate Tanjit Nagra, 23,also looked to make history as the province's youngest MLA, but she was defeated by Progressive Conservative Sarah Guillemard.CindyLamoureux, 27, set the record when she was elected in 2016 at age 24.

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